M. CORNELIUS FRONTO
account cease to love him; nor did you begin to have a liking for me through Niger's introduction. Wherefore, I beseech you, let not a friendship now be a hindrance which was never a help to us. Now, if I must say so, let the Gods witness that I have often seen Niger Censorius weeping copiously for want of you and for distress at this dissension.
But perhaps I shall have another opportunity of mollifying you and reconciling you to his memory. Meanwhile, lest your ears be open to any attacks by ill-disposed persons on me, I pledge to you my lasting loyalty, which, as I kept it truly and faithfully with Censorius, much more assuredly shall I strive to preserve lasting and unimpaired with you.
Fronto to Marcus.[† 1]
To my Lord Caesar.
Niger Censorius is dead, leaving me heir to five-twelfths of his estate by a will in all other respects unexceptionable but, as far as its language is concerned, ill-advised, since in this he followed the dictates of anger rather than consulted his self-respect. For he inveighed in unmeasured terms against Gavius Maximus, a man of senatorial rank and entitled to my regard.
In consequence I have thought it necessary to write to our Lord your Father and to Gavius Maximus himself letters of a very difficult tenor. For, whereas I could not but find fault with the action of my friend Niger, which I myself disapproved of, I wished at the same time, as was right, not to fail in
- ↑ This letter is omitted in the Index of Letters to Pius, but is found among them. It is clearly to Marcus.
